Handicap computer



June 22, 1943. R. WALSHy HANDICAP. COMPUTER Filed Feb. 1v, 1941.

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Patented June 22, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HANDICAP COMPUTER. Ralph Walsh, Los Angeles, Calif.

Applicaties February 17, 1941, serial No. 379,184

(o1. 2 .li- 61) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for computing the handicap of a player of any game, in which the players make a score or count, and while the invention may be practiced in connection with any game, it is described in the following specification as applied to the game of golf.

It is a common practice to compute a golf players handicap on the basis of the total score in his last ten gaines played, the handicap usually being a certain percentage of the total for the ten games. And, of course, this entails an enormous amount of computing to maintain the golfers handicaps up to date. 1

In some clubs, the handicap is based on the total score ci the lowest ten scores of Ithe last thirteen games played.

One of the objects of invention is to provide a simple apparatus and method of operating the same, which will enable such handicaps to be readily computed, and maintained substantially automatically, that is to say, without necessitating the continual taking of the percentage of the ten-game total, or any number of games selected.

Further objects ol' the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel method and the combination of parts of apparatus to be described hereinafter, all oi which contribute to produce an elncient apparatus and method for computing handicaps.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the scoreboard and appara-tus carried thereby, partially in section, with certain parts broken away.

2 is a vertical section. through the indicator mechanism taken' about on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section, thro-ugh the mechanism taken about on. the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

fi is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken through the dials that indicate a players single score. that is, one game or round of eighteen holes. for example, and particularly illustrating the means for controlling its dials, and also the dials oi the counter mechanism that carries the total of the last ten games played, or other total selected as a basis.

Fig. 5 is also a .fragmentary view and may be regarded as a section taken about on the line 5 5 or Fig. 2 upon an enlarged scale, and particularly illustrating the means I may employ for driving the handicap indicator at a reduced speed from the counter mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a section taken about on the line 6-6 and further illustrating the parts shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section of a diagrammatic nature, illustrating a common form of carrying mechanism that may ybe employed for carrying between the dials.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through 'the dials of the counter, and particularly illustrating how the rotations of the unit wheel of the single score indicator, may be imparted to the handicap indicator.

In practicing the invention, I provide a Score board I having a scale 2 with progressively ascending numbers running from one up to ten, and located respectively over boxes 3 at which the players scores for the selected games are shown by means of removable panels 4 carrying digits substantially as indicated. These panels 4 are preferably slid into place from the right end, and are retained by horizontal rails o1' cleats 5.

At the right and in line with the players game score panels 4, the score board is provided with a window 6 at which is displayed the faces of the dials 'I and 8 indicating the golfers handicap; and still further to the right I provide a similar window 9 at which the faces of dials I0 and II are displayed. The dials 'I and 8 are shown at the left of the indicating mechanism shown in Fig. 2, and the dials Ill and Il are shown at the right in Fig. 2.

rlhe dials Il) and II and their associated parts constitute a single score indicator S, While the dials 'I and 8 and their associated parts constitute the handicap indicator H. Between these two indicators and on a common shaft with them is the counter T, the dials of which are set up to indicate the players total score for the selected number of his games last played, for eX- ample, ten. The counter T has a unit dial I2, a tens dial I3 and a hundreds dial I4.

The three indicators are mounted in a suitable casing I5 at the back of the score board I,

In addition to the dials I and 8, the handicap indicator may have two dials I6 and I1. All the dials of all the indicators have ten digits running from 0 to 9, and the dials al1 carry over to each other from right to left through carrying Wheels I8 mounted loosely on a common Xed arbor I9.

yThe numbers on the face of dial I0 are carried on a friction-tight rim Ia, and the dial rim Ia has a projecting milled ange Ic that projects out through the back of the casing I5 (see Fig. 3) to enable it to be touched with ones fingers to rotate the rim lila to set up the golfers presently made score. The dial 8 is set by means of a thumb-head rigid on a tubular shaft or sleeve 2i, and having a longitudinal slot 22 receiving a pin 23 on the dial Il. The inner end of the sleeve 2l has a clutch member 24 that is normally in operative connection with a corresponding clutch member 25 on the hub of the units dial of the counter T. A spring washer 26 normally holds this clutch 24, 25, closed.

The units dial l2 of the counter effects a direct drive to the units wheel l1, of the handicap indicator H, and for this purpose it is formed with a tubular sleeve 2T, the far end of which could be directly connected to the units dial I if the handicap is always to be an even percentage of the total for ten games.

However, as some clubs may desire to compute the handicap as 11/2% of the total for the games, or use some other uneven percentage, then I prefer to provide a reduction gear mechanism 28 driven by a pinion 29 on the end of sleeve 21. Through this reduction gearing a clutch 30 drives the units wheel I'l.

It will be evident that if the reduction gear is not used, a direct connection could be effected, with a tubular sleeve from the pinion 29 to the clutch 30.

The dials are all held against shifting along their arbor 15a where necessary, by means of stop ngers 3l projecting out from the carrier shaft or arbor I9.

The carrier wheels I8 are oi a type common in calculating machines. A three-toothed hub extension 32 cooperates with a cylindrical face 33 of the units wheel to hold a six tooth gear in xed engagement with the teeth of a carrier gear 34 on the tens dial (see Fig. 4). At each revolution of the units dial a single tooth 35 projecting laterally from the units dial, engages one of the teeth of the six-tooth gear, and rotates the carrier gear i8 through one-third of a revolution, which rotates the tens dial through one-tenth of a revolution. A slot 3G is provided in the cylindrical face 33 to permit one of the teeth of the three-toothed hub to pass through when the carrying movement is being effected.

The reduction gearing 28 includes an arm 3l suspended on arbor l5a and having a yoke 38 at its lower end embracing a hub 39 on one of the pinions 4l) of the reduction gear train. This arm 31 carries a duplex pinion 4I secured to it by a machine screw 42. This duplex pinion forms part of the reduction gear train.

If it is necessary to change the ratio of the reduction through the reduction gear, this can be effected by providing additional threaded sockets such as Socket 42a (see Fig. 5) to which the pin 42 may be moved. This7 of course, would involve the providing of a new set of gears of different diameters for the gear train,

The thumb heads 20 corresponding to the different score lines are located at the right edge of the score board (see Fig. 1) and should be enclosed under a removable cover 43 that should be kept locked.

In using this apparatus, .it should be understood that there are two phases for it. The first phase is when the golfer is making his rst ten scores, or other scores that are to be selected as a basis for computing the handicap. A panel 4 is put in for each day, indicating his score for that particular day or round of the course.

As soon as the ten selected score panels 4 are in place, then the second phase commences, and the computation of the handicap begins. It is now necessary to set up the dials of the counter T to indicate the total for the ten panels on the board.

The dials of the counter T are constructed with friction-tight rims like the rim lila (see Fig. 4) with anges 44 that can be reached at the rear of the board. This enables the counter dials to be quickly and immediately set to indicate the proper total without having to carry over to thc tens and hundreds dials from the unit dial. The handicap for the total indicated will then be computed arithmetically, and the dials of `the handicap indicator should be set up in the same manner as the Acounter dials `through the agency of their flanges 45. The apparatus is now ready for its daily control.

Suppose for example, that the eleventh score of the golfer is eighty-eight. A panel 4 with the number 88 on it, would then be pushed against the extreme right-hand panel 4 of the player-s row, pushing out the extreme left panel 4 bearing the number 85. This, of course, would add three to the players total score for the last ten games. Just before shifting the panels 4 to the left in this way, the window 9 would show a number on the dials ID and il of the single game indicator. It is therefore necessary for the operator of the apparatus to add three to the total score set up on the counter T. In order to accomplish this, the thumb head 2D would have to be rotated forwardly through three divisions; for example, rotating the dial I l in a clockwise direction until the number 8 appeared in the window instead of the number 5. This advance movement would be imparted through the clutch 24, 25, to the unit dial i2 of the counter, and through the tubular sleeve 2! the pinion 29 would be rotated so as to pass on this change in the total to the handicap computer H.

Whenever it is desired to rotate the dials ID and Il independently of the counter, this can be done by pulling the thumb-head 2D in an outward direction. This shifts the tubular sleeve 2l toward the right, and opens the clutch 24, 25. The wheel Il can then be rotated by means of the thumb-head through the slot 22 and pin 23 connection. The rim lila on the dial Hi can be rotated by means of its knurled iange Hic, to set up any number desired on this dial without rotating the body of the dial which, of course, would be locked against rotation by engagement of its gear teeth at 34 with the teeth of the six-pointed gear portion of the carrier wheel I8,

I/Vhen it happens that the players presently made score is less than the rst of his last ten scores, then the counter must have the difference subtracted from the total instead of added as in the above example.

Many other embodiments of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. In apparatus for indicating' a piayers handicap. the combination of a single score counter having dials for indicating the score of the player in the last game played, a tota-l counterl having dials indicating the total score of the player for a certain number of selected games including the score of the last game played on which the handicap is based, hand-operated means for actuating both said counters to add to, or subtract therefrom, the difference between the players presently made score and the score of the said last game played, a handicap counter, and means for driving the handicap counter from the total counter at a reduced drive ratio based on the method of computing the handicap so that the handicap indicator indicates the correct handicap based on the number of selected games including the said presently made score.

2. In apparatus for indicating a players handicap, the combination of a total counter having dials thereon indicating the total score of the 10 player for a certain number of selected games including the score of the last game played on which the handicap is to be based, a single score counter having dials indicating the score of the player in the last game played on which the 15 handicap is to be based; said single score counter having a units dial, a clutch connecting the same to the units dial of the total counter for moving the units dial of the total counter forward or back, depending upon the amount of the presently made score of the player; said single score counter including a tens dial capable of movement independently of the units dial for setting up the players last score on the same in cooperation with the said units dial of the single score counter, a handicap counter, and means for driving the same from the total counter at a reduced ratio.

RALPH WALSH. 

